Brushless DC Motor Actuator With Contactless Position Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current actuators for driving aircraft components, such as rotary valves, rely on brushed DC motors, which suffer from mechanical wear, electrical arcing, and limited durability, making them inefficient and prone to failure in harsh aerospace environments.
Innovation Solution
A brushless DC motor actuator system with a contactless position sensor and electronic commutation, coupled with a reduction system and a sophisticated controller for fully closed-loop control, eliminating mechanical wear and enhancing durability and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a brushed DC motor is used to drive aircraft components, then the actuator can be mechanically simple and easier to manufacture, but the motor suffers from mechanical wear, electrical arcing, and limited durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical brush-commutator system with an electronic commutation system. The brushed DC motor uses mechanical brushes and commutators for current commutation, which causes wear and arcing. The invention substitutes this with a brushless DC motor that uses electronic controllers and position sensors to commutate the motor windings electronically, eliminating mechanical wear and electrical arcing while improving reliability and durability
2Device complexity
If a brushed DC motor with mechanical commutation is used, then the device complexity is lower, but the mechanical wear and electrical arcing reduce the actuator's lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical commutation components (brushes and commutators) with electronic commutation components. The brushless DC motor uses an electronic controller with position sensors to electronically switch current in the motor windings, eliminating mechanical contact and thereby eliminating wear and arcing, which extends the actuator's lifespan despite increased electronic complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a closed-loop control system using position sensors (such as Hall effect sensors or resolvers) to provide feedback on the rotor position. This feedback enables precise electronic commutation and control of motor torque and speed, replacing the open-loop mechanical commutation system and significantly improving reliability and lifespan through controlled electronic switching
3Reliability
If electronic commutation with contactless position sensors is implemented, then mechanical wear and electrical arcing are eliminated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical wear-prone components with electronic components. The brushless DC motor eliminates brushes and commutators, using instead an electronic controller with position sensors to achieve commutation. This substitution improves reliability by eliminating mechanical wear and electrical arcing, accepting increased electronic complexity as a trade-off for significantly improved durability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The brushless DC motor actuator system provides precise control over position, velocity, and acceleration, improving durability and reducing maintenance needs, while avoiding electrical arcing and mechanical wear, thus enhancing the reliability and efficiency of aircraft systems.
Implementation Method 1
The contactless position sensor may include a Hall Effect sensor
Data Source
AI summary
An actuator includes a brushless DC motor, an output device, a reduction system coupled between the brushless DC motor and the output device, and a contactless position sensor configured to sense a position of the output device.